Uxbridge, ON

I like and welcome tire kickers or folks who just want to stay informed

Nearly every one likes to check out all their options before making a commitment. Real Estate is no exception and the Internet has provided a place for those "tire kickers" a place to go without giving out personal information.

On the other hand

A REALTOR^® depends on new leads to justify the time and expense of keeping current, quality information available on their web sites. So, the question is at what point should a visitor on their site be expected to give a little of them selves in order to gain access to the information they desire.... MORE

A while Ago we received a little humorous story by email and it made us stop and think about how we communicate.

There is an old axiom that states that the pen is mightier than the sword. Assuming we accept that as fact and realizing that we are not all born equal when it comes to describing something in words, how much better are pictures or web based video in helping us to visualize the product being sold.

Is the message the medium or is the medium the message or can it be both? Provided we know the background the message can be abundantly clear but if we have no foreknowledge it can be very confusing.

The following humorous illustration might help explain what I am saying.

With only two people aware of the background and the medium being the message it is highly unlikely that anyone else will get the message.

Background

For several years, a man was having an affair with an Italian woman. One night, she confided in him that she was pregnant. Not wanting to ruin his reputation or his marriage, he said he would pay her a large sum of money if she would go to Italy to secretly have the child. If she stayed in Italy to raise the child, he would also provide child support until the child turned 18.

The medium and the message

She agreed, but asked how he would know when the baby was born. To keep it discreet, he told her to simply mail him a post card, and write "Spaghetti" on the back. He would then arrange for the child support payments to begin.

Without the background the message is confusing

One day, about 9 months later, he came home to his confused wife. "Honey," she said, "you received a very strange post card today."

"Oh, just give it to me and I'll explain it later," he said. The wife obeyed and watched as her husband read the card, turned white, and fainted.

The message is very clear when we know the background

On the card was written: "Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Three with meatballs, two without. Send extra sauce."

In this case the sender, or advertiser, used creativity to send a new message, advertisement or call to action,to another who had background information. It was a one way communication to one specific person that was able to get a very explicit message across because of a shared background of knowledge.

Are you reaching your target market or are you sending confusing messages that only a few might understand?

We sometimes use creative language or words to communicate or advertise a product. While we understand the message, because we created it and a few others might get it because of a shared knowledge, does it really do what we want. Does it accurately describe what we are trying to market and have we reached our target market if only a few who read it know what we are advertising?

When advertising in print we tend to use acronyms, shorten words or even leave words out to conserve space and reduce cost but are we really getting our message across? If you place a short add for a house, but do not add the price, does your reader know if it is for sale or is it for rent?

So I ask You What Do You Think Is Better Print Adds Or Web Video??

Once again Uxbridge demonstrates that it really does care.

On June 7th Be part of what is being billed as the worlds largest pink ribbon. The organizers are hoping to have 3,000 or more people sign up, donate a minimum of $5.00 and wear a pink t-shirt as you form a giant pink ribbon in the Kennedy Soccer fields.

You are invited to come early and enjoy the live bands and 100.3's street team

Help Uxbridge Cares build the worlds largest pink ribbon in support of the following

Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation,

one of the Top 5 cancer research hospitals in the world

The Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research

Weekend to End Breast Cancer Survivorship Centre

M. Lau Breast Cancer Centre

Visit their web site to learn more and get directions to the of site parking at Uxbridge Secondary School and the Uxbridge Arena.

For all you antique lovers and garage sale addicts mark this Saturday on your calendar. The Lucy Maud Montgomery Society of Ontario is having their 3rd annual antique and artisans show and sale in Leaskdale just 10 minutes north of Uxbridge. Perhaps you will find a bargain at one of the community yard sales scheduled for the same day.

The sale is sponsored by The Lucy Maude Montgomery Society of Ontario who will be opening the church and the manse for the dealers to display their wares. View the furniture, glassware, fine china, linens, and an assortment of antique jewelery. If your a treasure hunter, looking for a bargain, shop the abundant local yard sales to your hearts content.

To read a little about the history visit 100 Years of "Anne of Green Gables"

This would be an excellent opportunity to learn first hand about the area from people who currently reside here if you are contemplating a move to this area.

The Historical plaque erected on the front lawn of the Manse property reads as follows:

"LUCY MAUD MONTGOMERY"

In this house the author of "Anne of Green Gables" lived for fifteen years, and here wrote eleven of her twenty-two novels, including "Anne of the Island" (1915) and "Anne's House of Dreams" (1916). Born in 1874 at Clifton, Prince Edward Island, she was educated at Charlottetown and Halifax. From 1898 to 1911, she lived at Cavendish, P.E.I., and there began her career as a novelist. In 1911 she married the Rev. Ewan Macdonald, a Presbyterian minister, and came with him to Leaskdale. They moved in 1926 to Norval, and nine years later to Toronto, where she died in 1942. Mrs. Macdonald was awarded the O.B.E. by King George V in 1935

See You There

To take a tour of properties available in the communities around the Uxbridge area Click on the links below for the community of your choice or visit our Listings Web Site to conduct a search for your dream home. You may get a welcome email message from us but we will not stuff your inbox with an automated e-mail program

One of the joys of living in the country, surrounded by gardens, is the number of butterflies that flutter by the windows.

Unfortunately it is still a little early to enjoy all the butterflies that pay an annual visit to my gardens, so I thought I might get a head start by paying a visit to the Metro Toronto Zoo and the butterfly conservatory. Apparently many others must had the same thought, as the conservatory was packed. Peering between the heads or focusing between the jostles made getting good pictures very difficult . Here are a few that I did manage to take. Notice the cut oranges that are used to attract and feed the butterflies.

Just as the zoo attracts the butterflies with the oranges we attract customers with our web presence, our print advertising and a variety of other means.

While the orange attracts and offers nourishment to the butterflies our promotional messages only attract, we require listings to satisfy the Home Buyers that we attract. Those folks we attract who are wishing to sell their home also must be nourished by what we offer them. You want to know if we have more than one web site and do we Blog. Are our websites all about real estate or do we offer more?

Many find us by our visibility on the web so search engine ranking is also important to You when you want to sell your home. But above all, we satisfy your needs the most with the experience and knowledge gained over the years. However it is our ability to negotiate on behalf of our clients where many of us bloom, just yesterday after negotiating the sale of a property I was complemented on my negotiating skills by my client.

While it may be true there are some in our industry that just flutterby, like the butterfly they are here today and gone tomorrow, there are many who have made a real career of helping people find that perfect dream home.